Junior, The Seigneur

  A SUMMARY OF JUNIOR, THE SEIGNEUR

 

Junior, the Seigneur is the imaginative presentation of a real-life puppy called Junior. God willing, he may make it to the dogs of Amazon-like Rufus, Pretzel, Maddie, Dory...

 

Junior came into the life of Vasudev Kurup and his affluent family quite unexpectedly. And, in time, he won a pride of place there with his uncanny attributes.

 

The story starts with Kurup lying and rolling in his bed, totally distressed. His social group was to conduct a pilgrimage to Benares and other holy places. However, the ladies’ faction opposed to his taking Junior along with him - for hygienic reasons. Against this backdrop, Kurup is musing over the many fabulous aspects of Junior.

 

Once, in an unusual sequence of dreams Kurup had seen his younger son, Sajeev, getting drowned. Subsequently, an incident occurred when Junior miraculously saved Sajeev from the brink of a moving vessel.

 

Shortly, Junior fell ill with an adamant disease. Kurup got him cured by an exceptional doctor. In order to express his gratitude to God he went to Guruvayoor Temple in Kerala to perform a unique ritualistic feat: circumambulate the shrine in a lying position! He had vowed to take eleven rounds. But owing to physical constraints, he had to compromise with seven rounds. To compensate for this, Junior rolls, eleven times, through the outer roads encircling the temple!

 

This incredible performance magnetized crowds upon crowds to the temple premises. In great appreciation, they showered currency notes on him, making him a millionaire!

 

Subsequently, Junior receives yet another unexpected windfall.

 An international burglary gang tried to plunder Kurup’s neighbor, a jeweller. However, a wonderful forewarning by Junior helps to foil this. Many altruistic organizations had secretly declared huge rewards of money for those who would give crucial information leading to catch this gang. Hence Kurup received huge monetary rewards, which he arranged to deposit in the name of Junior. So, monetarily Junior was more powerful than any of the feudal lords in the world. Still, he was ostracised from a social group. That thought fills Kurup’s mind with bitterness.

 

Unable to get even a wink of sleep, Kurup stood up from the cot. He paced toward the window and looked out. He was stunned to see an extraordinary wedding procession - of dogs! He was mystified to see Deanne (the pet of Kurup’s friend) and Junior as the bride and bridegroom. That vision sparks a brilliant idea in him to solve his personal crisis. He decides to actually get them married. And take them along to Benares in a separate car under the care of a subordinate – as a honeymoon trip for them!

 

Hearing this Mrs. Kurup feels momentarily embarrassed. Gradually, she starts dissolving herself into the prospects of becoming a mother-in-law. Then, the day breaks out on her face...!

 

There are sprinklings of some Indian thoughts in this story.

 The re-creator of Junior, Nair Gopi T. Karuvath, belongs to one of the most illustrious literary families in Kerala: the Madathth Thekkeppaatt (MT!) household.

 

JUNIOR, THE SEIGNEUR! (8730 words)

 

Restless, Vasudev Kurup rolled in his bed. Thoughts on Junior were dogging him.

 Junior’s face had beamed in excitement when he knew about the proposed pilgrimage, Kurup recalled.

 

How smartly had he smelt about the trip being planned to Benares and other holy places! He was sure that he would be an important and beloved member of the team. So he became starry-eyed.  His chest puffed out with pride. He had always been very fond of outings.

 

Hence, he became disillusioned when he got a whiff of his ouster from the team — on account of his being a canine, a dog. He tried, in vain, to hide the disappointment on his face.

 

Restless, Kurup rolled in his bed.

 

It was the women’s group of the pilgrims’ team that raised the banner of protest (or the murmur of dissent, rather!): “Folks, have you ever heard of such a practice? Taking a dog along on a holy trip? That too, to Benares?”

 

This had reminded Kurup of a past incident: a friendly tiff he, once, had with the High Priest of a great temple. The High Priest had been Kurup’s boyhood friend. Hence, once, Kurup asked for his permission to take Junior inside the temple. When the High Priest denied permission, Kurup taunted him:

 

“Then how come that Yudhishtira was able to take his dog to paradise?”

“There are many interpretations for that story, Vasu. We don’t have time to go into those. But I cannot allow you to take your dog in.”

 

Kurup did not intend to have a similar tiff with the ladies for the sake of Junior. However, he carefully took note of the repeated utterances on their lips:

 

“After all, isn’t Junior a dog? If you are constantly in the company of a dog, won’t it affect your cleanliness?”

 In fact, Junior led as hygienic a life as any civilized human beings. However, Kurup did not want to raise an issue highlighting it.

 

The Kurup couple’s younger son, Sajeev, was around two years when Junior came into their life. Till then Junior had been the pet of Major Arun Saxena.

 

One morning Major Saxena and his wife paid a surprise visit to the Kurups. And Junior was tagging along with them. And straightaway they came to the point:

 

“We have come to you with a request. We are going to the States for about six months. Would you mind keeping Junior with you till we come back? ”

 

After a brief pause, Major Saxena smilingly added: “If by then, Junior steals away your hearts, then you can have him. Or else, we will take him back.”

 

The Kurups had just come back from Bengaluru after admitting their elder son, Raaj, at a prestigious residential school there. His absence was creating a painful void in their consciousness and surroundings. Somehow, the Kurups felt that Junior would help alleviate that emptiness.

 

As Junior was of the same age as that of Sajeev, the Kurups decided to grow them up as if they were twins.

 

While bathing Sajeev, the Kurups also gave Junior a shampoo bath, ensuring to brush well his teeth and mouth. Whenever they tailored garments for Sajeev, they did so for Junior, as well. Besides, they got made exclusive footwear for Junior for his outings. Sajeev had not been weaned from his feeding bottle. Hence feeding bottles were bought for Junior, too. Sajeev used to relieve himself in a mobile, plastic commode. Junior also got one for himself.

 

Junior had been growing under such meticulous care. Yet, he had to be packed off to the home of Sebastian (Personal Assistant to Kurup) at the behest of the women’s group...

 

Restless, Kurup rolled in his bed... 

 

Major Saxena had been very eloquent about the fine pedigree of Junior (and also about an enigmatic halo that surrounded him). Junior proved Major Saxena right, through his own practices. He displayed a better sense of discipline than Sajeev. Sajeev used to drop litters around. Junior would bite them away into the waste bin!

 

Sajeev and Junior would play many games together. Fetching games and rolling balls on the floor topped the list of their favourite games. Then came, striding:

 

Sajeev would raise Junior on his hinder legs. And, holding Junior’s forelegs he would walk backward. In tune with that Junior would step forwards, gaining almost a human gait. Junior preferred this pastime over any other.

 

Over time, this striding game would hit the highest point when Raaj, too, would join them on holidays.

 

Once, the Kurup-brothers made a secret agenda: to train Junior to speak.  They observed that when Junior stood erect and his spine assumed a perpendicular position, it stimulated a desirable influence on his vocal cords.

 

It was after about a year that Mrs. & Major Saxena came to reclaim Junior. Then, Kurup rolled his response and submission into a crisp sentence:

 

“You may discuss any other topic!”

 True to their words, the Saxenas left Junior to the care of the Kurups.

 From then onwards, little by little, Junior invaded the Kurups’ hearts and lives in amazing ways. 

 Two strange sequential dreams served as the preliminaries to this.

 

The first dream appeared like this: a glittering, solitary palace in the infinite expanse of an ocean. The eaves of its slanting terrace merged into the calm ocean. It was landscaped with soft grass and flowery plants. The Kurup family was sitting on this slope in a relaxed mood: Mr. Kurup, Mrs. Kurup, Raaj, Sajeev, and Junior. All except Sajeev had been lost in the stillness of the surroundings. However, Sajeev busied himself by crawling on his knees up and down the massive slope.

 

After a while, a spark of thought created a flare-up in the inner world of Kurup. Startled, he stood up:

- Where is Junior?

He called out: “Darling, Junior.”

 

From somewhere a noise snapped. It came from the eaves of the terrace. Crawling, Sajeev had already reached there. And splashing the oceanic waters he was creating that noise.

 

Holding some water in one hand he was excitedly turning to face Kurup and others. Then his bottom slipped off the eaves. He lost his rapport with the terrace. For a moment he swayed like a paper boat on the greenish-blue water mass. Then he started sinking... And Kurup woke up. 

 

On awakening, Kurup was gripped with a thought — that the dream was hiding some secret messages in its folds.

 

The next night, he fell into sleep mulling over this thought. Then the second part of the strange sequential dream emerged in his vision. As a TV serial, it began from the last scene of the previous episode: Sajeev was sinking into the sea... Stunned, Kurup, Mrs. Kurup, and Raaj looked skywards in prayer.

 

Then they heard the sound of a footfall from behind. It was Junior – like a divine messenger! He seemed to be telling:

 

“Don’t worry, dad.”

 Closing his eyes Junior sat down on the green grass for a second. The next moment he shot up from that spot. Tracing a semicircular trajectory, he dashed. And creating mild wrinkles on the placid sea, he made a soft landing.

 

His bare feet looked delightful like petals of a rose-colored water-lily. He lifted himself up on his hind legs and began to dance. At the tender touch of his feet, the ocean seemed to horripilate.  The curly waves assumed the form of baby serpents from the Nagaloka. Spreading their bejeweled hoods they danced in tune with Junior. They droned out a mystic tune, lending the atmosphere with a touch of trance. Then as if out of magic, a cradle carrying Sajeev was seen floating on the waves...

 

Abruptly, the dream got snuffed out. However, the drone of the mystic tune hung around...

 Kurup told Mrs. Kurup about these puzzling sequential dreams. And they wondered whether these dreams carried any secret messages for them.

 

During this period, some members of Kurups’ extended families in Kerala came to Mumbai for a picnic.

 The Elephanta Cave was their first target. From his mansion, Kurup took them to Mumbai Beach in a minibus.

 

When all of them got down from the bus, Kurup picked up Sajeev and held him on his hip. Then Junior ogled Mrs. Kurup meaningfully:

 

-         See Mom, Dad’s partiality! 

 

Mrs. Kurup grabbed Junior up. She wiped the sand granules off his plastic footwear. She straightened the tucks of his yellow attire and held him close to her breasts.

 Raaj moved cheerfully with his peer group. Going in front, he went down the steps from the road to the beach. And crossing the sandy strip, he and his group started moving towards the sea.

 Carrying Sajeev at his hip, Kurup was wading through the shallow waters to the motorboat which would take them to the Elephanta Cave. Something seemed to be surging inside Sajeev as he was inching towards the sea. He started giggling, excessively. Then Kurup heard a call from Raaj:

 

“Dad.”

 He wanted to buy the figurine of a saffron-scented deer being hawked around. Taking one statuette with him, he ran up to Kurup for the money to be paid for it. The scent of saffron pulsated in the atmosphere.

 

While groping for the money-purse in his pocket, Kurup’s arms loosened a bit. And Sajeev fell off from his hip. Sajeev seemed to enjoy the mild, unexpected fall. When he slapped the water with both of his hands, particles went up like sparks from a Roman candle.  What more to ask for....?

 

However, Mrs. Kurup cut in.  She handed Junior to Kurup and took Sajeev up. She removed his wet and muddy clothes and dressed him up in new outfits. She gave him back to Kurup in exchange for Junior.

 

Growling, Junior looked back and forth —from Mrs. Kurup’s face to the new dress of Sajeev. She could make out what Junior was hinting at. Hence she hastened to say:

 

“My cute, Cunning Krishna, this yellow garment that you are wearing now is superb. You will not get it changed now. ”

 

-         All right.

 Junior nodded his head.

 Then something stirred at the core of Kurup’s thoughts. Dreaded, he squeezed Mrs. Kurup’s hand:

 “Dear, now I know the meanings of those dreams. Do you see the deck of this small ship? That is the slope of the palace which I saw in the sequential dreams.”

 

“Both of us should be extra careful about Sajeev from now onwards.”

 Both Mr. & Mrs. Kurup uttered these words together, in the very same breath. They burst into laughter at this coincidence.

 

Kurup put Sajeev down, who had just acquired walking skills. Still, he held one of his hands. Mrs. Kurup held the other one. When they began to move forward, Junior started bickering: he wanted to get off from Mrs. Kurup and walk.

 

The moment Junior touched the ground, he assumed the airs of an experienced tour guide. He hustled his way to the front and animatedly led the entire group behind him. When they reached their vessel, Junior sensed it. With a great degree of self-assurance, he sprang into it. Then he led the entire retinue to the deck.

 

In a short while, the ship began to move. By and by, it started acquiring greater speed. Slowly the rows of ships, lying anchored in the harbor, were pushed to the background. However, the skyline of the megacity asserted itself as an invincible landmark.

 

Behind Junior, the group walked up to the iron barrier at the head of the deck. Through the gaps in the fencing iron bars, it was interesting to view the boat surging ahead on the surface of the sea. Holding the iron bars Sajeev stood thoroughly enjoying the sight. Junior gave him his company.

 

Junior could easily pass through the iron bars, the senior-Kurups calculated; if he tried, even Sajeev, too, would be able to. Hence they watched over them with undivided attention.

 

The ship sped ahead, magically unfolding interminable swirls of water which looked like white flowers on either side, with froth and foam. Sajeev cried out for some flowers to be plucked out for him. By then, an announcement came:

 

-         The breakfast is ready.

 The group assembled at the dining tables. Sajeev was to share the breakfast with Kurup; and Junior with Mrs. Kurup. However, both Sajeev and Junior also got separate chairs to sit on.

 

The splendid taste of the breakfast-dishes. The coolness of the sea breeze. The tender warmness of the morning sun. And the light-hearted conversations. Incredibly light atmosphere! Kurup was letting it sink into his being.

 

Suddenly, Junior shattered the sparkle of those moments. With one of his forearms, he hit on the empty chair which had been occupied by Sajeev. He grumbled, a question writ large on his face: where is Sajeev?

 

Junior scurried down to the floor. He squatted on his hind legs. He looked up and then closed his eyes. He remained in that meditative posture for a few seconds. Then, like a swift bird, he took off. And tracing a semicircular trajectory, he zoomed to the deck.

 

Shaking off their shock, the group members started racing to the deck. There, resembling Baby Jesus, Sajeev was hurriedly toddling towards the iron barrier. When he sensed the torrent of footfalls behind him he fell on all fours to acquire better speed. The iron bars looked like a chain of transversely hung crosses. To go beyond that barrier and pluck the ‘flowers’, Sajeev was hustling on and on. Seeing this, the ladies let out a huge cry.

 

Junior growled in response to that; as if he was saying, “Don’t worry. I am here.”

 

Junior had landed precisely on the spot where he and Sajeev had been standing earlier. Sajeev made an effort to bypass Junior by standing up and run. But Junior did not leave anything to chance. One smart move... And he took Sajeev in his mouth. He sank his teeth tightly around the belt at Sajeev’s waist, skilfully avoiding the skin beneath.

 

The group, headed by Kurup, crowded around Junior who was holding Sajeev high like a winner flaunting his victory cup.

 

Kurup did not know what to do. Bursting into tears he hugged Junior and Sajeev. Showering kisses on Junior’s forehead he wailed: Darling, What can I say...?

 

-        That Junior has been chucked out from the pilgrim group...!

 

Restless, Kurup rolled in his bed...

 

Did Junior’s performance at the deck, drew some evil eyes on him? If so, it hit him hard: On the third night of their coming back from Elephanta Caves, Junior felt uneasy. He took to bed. In the morning it came to light: his hind side had become numb; crippled. The veterinary surgeon could easily diagnose it: Polio. Infantile paralysis.

 

Junior lost his dynamism. His face lost its shine.

 

Kurup made elaborate arrangements for Junior’s treatment. However, Junior’s condition did not improve even after two-three months. Then it was Major Saxena who put forward a suggestion:

 

“Nowadays, a lot is heard about a physician in Bengaluru who treats and cures polio in a human child. He is practicing alternative medicine. Shall we try him out, as a last resort?”

Kurup accepted that suggestion. Within a week he moved to Bengaluru. He rented a guesthouse there for all five of them: Mr. Kurup, Mrs. Kurup, Raaj       (who had been staying at a hostel in Bengaluru), Sajeev and Junior.

 

The change and the salubrious atmosphere of Bengaluru had a wholesome effect on Junior. He started shedding his gloom and regaining his brightness.

 

For the first few weeks, there were no other visible changes in Junior. However, afterward, he started registering slow improvements. In six-seven months he was able to crawl. Kurup could heave a sigh of relief. Before the year completed a full circle, Junior became reasonably mobile. The physician expressed his view that in time Junior would regain his former self. Hence they decided to leave Bengaluru keeping Raaj back at his hostel. 

 

While bidding farewell to the physician, Mr. Kurup profusely thanked him. Then the physician said:

 “Actually you should thank God, the Almighty for Junior’s recovery. Frankly speaking, I am only a conduit, Mr. Kurup.”

 

In fact, Kurup had already made up his mind to express his gratitude to God in a very formal and traditional style: To take eleven holy circumambulations in lying position at the legendary Guruvayoor Temple on behalf of Junior. He knew he wouldn’t be able to do it at one go. So, he planned for a one-week program at the temple city. On each of the first three days he would take three circumambulations; and one circumambulation, each, on the succeeding two days. That would make eleven circumambulations.

 

For making arrangements (like booking rooms, etc.), he despatched, in advance, a couple of his assistants to Guruvayoor.

 

The High Priest of the temple was his boyhood friend; the Chief Administrative Officer was his college mate — factors, other than his own clout, which should see him through any hitches which might crop up even at a place of worship.

 

Yet, he could not fulfill just one wish: to take Junior inside the temple. He had taken up the topic with the High Priest. There were cats inside the temple; then why not a dog? But his request was turned down.  Then he taunted the High Priest: “Then how come that Yudhishtira was able to take his dog to paradise?”

 

“There are many interpretations to that story, Vasu. We don’t have time to go in to those. But I cannot allow you to take your dog in. By the way, why this silly doggedness?”

 

“I want him to witness the lying-circumambulations that I am going to do on his behalf.”

“I will show you a shortcut for that. There is a prominent hotel at the Eastern Gateway: Jayashree Hotel. Book an accommodation there, as well. From its balcony, your dog can see you rolling at close quarters.” 

 

Kurup instantly arranged to get it done. And, when he stepped on to the balcony of the hotel, he realized that what the High Priest had told him was literally true: from there anybody could comfortably observe a strategic area of the frontal portion of the temple.

 

There were not any special procedures for conducting the lying-circumambulations: Take a holy dip in the temple tank and go to the temple wearing the wet cloths. Take a position near the flagstaff and offer prayers looking at the idol of Lord Krishna. Then prostrate and start rolling your body, on and on, leftwards.

 

Kurup proceeded to the temple tank, accompanied by his assistants. He took three deep dips and hurried back to the temple, without even trying to wring his clothes out of dripping waters. He stood near the flagstaff and looked toward the idol of Shree Krishna and closed his eyes murmuring the prayerful words to express his gratitude. He cupped his hands in supplication and prostrated. Then he began to roll. He continued to hold his arms stretched above his head, his hands still cupped. Devotees of the Lord crowded around him. Some of them shouted:

 

“Don’t cup your hands. Instead, hold the ridges with your fingers for support.”

 

Kurup opened his eyes and viewed the ground from that lower plane. The special granite path for circumambulatory rolling stuck out two-three inches above the ground level, like a casing. He could get comfortable grips on its edges.

 

Some of the devotees cried out: “Sir, please do not open your eyes.”

 

Kurup shut his eyes tightly. Then thoughts on the divine mercy which Shree Krishna showered on Junior engulfed him.  It had been like delivering Junior from the bondages of some grave sins which he might have committed in his earlier births. Those thoughts pepped him up. His rolling acquired a new vigor.

 

His assistants and other devotees continued to render him all possible supports: in maintaining the right positions of his fingers, hands, legs, and lower cloths.  Some of them gave soft pushes to his body to reduce his labor and increase the rolling speed. He was about to finish the first round. Then the devotees’ uproars rented the atmosphere:

 

“Lord of the Universe, Salutations.”

 “Lord of the Terrestrial Vaikuntha, Salutations.”

 Amidst these, there were some suggestions, too.

 “Don’t open your eyes.”

 “If you have vowed to take three rounds, please do not stop in between. Continue rolling.”

 

Kurup carried on. He found it to be not that strenuous as some people had made it out to be. He rolled reflecting on Junior’s recovery from crippling polio.

 

After a while, he heard an uproar rocking the atmosphere:

“Lord of the Three Worlds, Salutations.”

 

“Lord of the Terrestrial Vaikuntha, Salutations.”

 He knew that the second round had been completed.

 “Slowly; roll at a very slow pace only.”

 “Please take care not to open your eyes at all.”

 

When the third round commenced, Kurup felt a little more lightness, and easiness in rolling. Sometimes sand granules on the floor would prick into his skin, awakening spots of mild pain. Ignoring that he mechanically rolled with some pushing-help from his supporters.

 

“Lord of the Three Worlds, Salutations.”

  “Hari Om ... Hari Om... Hari Om"

 “Narayana... Narayana... Narayana...”

 The tempo of the chanting was climbing to a crescendo. Still some instructions reached him:

 “Slowly; very slowly you may bring yourself to a halt.”

 Kurup got the hint: The third round also had come to an end.

 Kurup stopped rolling further. Instantly, he felt giant waves of tiredness heading for him from all sides.

 

He opened his eyes — unknowingly. Instinctively, the eyes opened on their own. At once, Kurup felt that he was being hurled into the skies to revolve there forever ... like a stone forcefully shot from the string of a catapult. Along with him the temple, too, was spinning... Then terrifying sights started haunting him — irrespective of whether his eyes were open or shut! He also felt like nauseating.   His innards were hurrying to pull out their roots and jump out...

 

Then, Kurup got tilted. He felt as if he was on a motorized swing which took him up and up into the peaks of the skies. Next, through a circular track, it started swooping down. Where to? To the netherworld? The swing went on scaling different levels of depths. Around Kurup the roar of the hell intensified.

 

Kurup felt that he was tumbling down from one level of depth to another. And there was not even a slender thread for him to catch on. Hence he cried out in fear:

 

“Oh, save me, save me;  somebody, please save me.”

 He felt the water being sprinkled on his face. His assistants started fanning him. Within a short while, a palanquin was brought in. While his assistants were facilitating his entry into the palanquin, he could feel his heart beating within his ribs like a sparrow fluttering inside a cage.

 

Kurup was brought into the air-conditioned reception area of his lodgings. By then Junior also had reached there with the other members.

 

All at once, Junior assertively advanced towards Kurup, taking complete control of the whole situation. A grave expression exuded from his face. In a way, it enervated the onlookers.   And he let out a mild growl. Its undertone was obvious:

—Nobody should come in my way!

 

The bystanders drew back and stood in a circle around Kurup’s couch, leaving enough space for Junior. Sniffing at the air, Junior started running around the couch. His pace was relaxed. His face appeared reflective. After finishing a certain number of rounds, he jumped up on to the couch. And he began to lick both the feet of Kurup. He started licking from the tips of one foot, and he went up to both the knees. Junior’s tongue, resembling a lotus petal, splendidly glided over both the feet of Kurup.

 

Was Junior a reflexologist in one of his previous births? Kurup wondered. With the expert touch of his tongue at the many neural points of his feet, Kurup’s frustrations started draining off, with the speed of ebbing tidal waves.

 

He drank energizing fruit juices. Slowly, Kurup could sense shoots of fresh energy throbbing all over his body. A little later, he had a mini lunch. Then he lay down for a peaceful catnap.

 

On awakening, Kurup found himself to be perfectly fit. He decided to once again go to the temple. It was evening. There was enough time before the temple doors would be closed.

 

He took a quick bath. He wore freshly laundered dhoti and angavastras and set out to the temple. Mrs. Kurup, Raaj, Sajeev and others followed him. Junior withdrew himself to a corner and cringed, pretending to be asleep — to convey the idea that he had not known anything about their going to the temple!

 

The crowd had dwindled at the temple and its premises. When he neared the shrine he saw the High Priest sitting outside the sanctum, at an assigned place of his. It was possible for accessing him for a short while. However, before Kurup took the initiative, the High Priest beckoned him:

 

“I have been thinking of meeting you, Vasu. Your rolling was terrific, I heard. Now, shall we make some alterations in your plans? Today you took three rounds. During the subsequent four days, you need to take only one round every day. It’ll total up to seven rounds. That’s an auspicious figure.”

 

Did Kurup’s face pale? The High Priest, who took special note of it, added:

 

“This is a divine dispensation, I tell you. So you needn’t worry about reducing from the avowed number.”

 

Hence the subsequent four days passed off lightly — with just one circumambulatory rolling on each day.

 

Then it happened on the fifth day. Kurup had planned to return on that day to his ancestral village (and from there to his industrial headquarters in Mumbai).  He got ready and proceeded to the Eastern Gate from where he always took the formal leave from the temple.

 

He prostrated. While getting up he noted that Junior was jumping to and fro in front of him. Then Junior ducked. From the ducking position, he mysteriously sprang up. It was reminiscent of his famous jump inside the ship.        A flash of thought shone through the mental screen of Kurup:

 

“Lord Krishna! My Junior has fully recovered. What further proof can be there? Miraculous!”

 

Kurup adjusted his vision for a closer look. Then Junior was on the run.  A squarish pathway lay surrounding the temple walls.  Through that Junior headed toward a barely used public bath that lay right to the Eastern Gate. Like a fish-catching kingfisher, he swooped into its waters. He swiftly rose up and swam towards the steps. Then sprinkling water drops on the pathway he ran back to the Eastern Gate. His wet yellow garment (with blue borders) got closely stuck to his body.

 

He took a position in front of the tall lamp-stand at the Eastern Gate. He bent his forelegs and prostrated. And he started rolling on his left side. Then only it struck Kurup and others: Junior was taking lying-circumambulations! His canine body proved advantageous for rolling.

 

There was an element of childlike naughtiness about his movements. For some distance he would roll at a slow pace; and for some distance, he would accelerate his pace. Sometimes he would lie supine prayerfully, doing supplications with his forelegs. In time, Junior completed the first of the holy rounds.  It attracted some crowds.

 

Then, the second round. When the third round was completed, Mrs. Kurup intervened: “Enough is enough. Now you stop this.”

 

“Ummmm,” growled Junior. There was a concealed warning in its tenor: “Beware, not to touch me.”

 

When Mrs. Kurup assertively advanced, Junior scratched twice on the ground with his forelegs. Two straight-lines emerged on the mud surface: ll.

 

The Kurups looked at each other. It was nothing difficult to decipher: What Junior wrote was ‘eleven’, by which he meant he was determined to take eleven holy rounds.

 

Junior was becoming an embodiment of animal magnetism. He started attracting more and more crowds. The sixth round concluded. And the seventh round started. By then there were crowds on crowds.

 

The street walls, the embankments of the public tanks, verandas of nearby buildings, rooftops, branches of trees in the vicinity – all were crowded with curious onlookers. Police took over spots of strategic interests. Then bureaucrats, reporters, photographers, temple officials, priests...

But there was no chaos at all. No commotions... No disruptions... There was an incredible, impossible orderliness. Peoples settled themselves either behind or beside others in an orderly manner.

 

When Junior completed the ninth round, the atmosphere assumed an unearthly glow. A subtle light, resembling diluted orange juice, densely filled in the biosphere.

 

The tenth round also got over. And then the eleventh...

 

Wild chants started zigzagging through the orange-colored biosphere:

“Lord of the Three Worlds...”

“Protector of the universe...”

“Narayana, Narayana, Narayana..."

“The Lord of the entire universe.”

 

Devotional fervor was set off like fighting waves.  Kurup was at a loss to grasp the situation. For a while, even he lost his sense of surroundings. 

 

When he came to his senses, he heard amusing anecdotes. Or, were people weaving out stories?

 

While on the eleventh round, people had seen a blue-skinned boy rolling with Junior, in a tight embrace. As soon as the eleventh round was over, that blue-skinned, wonderful boy took up Junior on his hips and ran to the temple pond. Many people swore to have borne witness to this sight.

 

When Kurup looked around, what he saw was this: Drenched in water Junior was running towards him, with a peacock feather in his mouth. Then Mrs. Kurup picked him up, dried him and adorned him with a saffron-colored new dress. She reverently took out the peacock feather from his mouth and placed it in her handbag for safekeeping.

 

After that, Junior sniffed around the lamp-stand for some time and selected a spot. He sat there in vajrasana like a sage sitting in deep meditation.

 

Then people lined up to see him at close quarters and to bow before him. Like flowers, they offered him currency notes as well as coins.

 

This went on for a couple of hours. The coins and currency notes created heaps around.

 Beggars were the last in the queue. It seemed they were waiting for their special turn.

 

Amidst these, another buzz spread around: From nowhere a strange-looking, radiant divine personality emerged just in front of Junior. Dressed in a mantle, he was holding five cakes in his hands. Junior opened his eyes, looked at him and bowed his head before him. Abruptly the holy man disappeared and was not to be seen anywhere nearby.

 

The beggars did not have anything to offer to Junior. Each of them just wanted to touch him. That’s all.

 

When the first beggar touched him on his forehead, Junior opened his eyes. When the beggar was about to leave him with folded hands, Junior growled and signaled him to take his share from the money heaps. That set a precedent. Each beggar would advance toward Junior, touch his forehead and take his or her share from the heaped currencies. The last one was a beggar maid. She also stashed her share into her shoulder bag.

 

Even then the money heaps seemed to remain undiminished!

 

Media reporters swarmed around Kurup, seeking for a personal interview with him - to elicit more information on Junior. Promising them that he would meet them on a future occasion, Kurup excused himself for the time being. After leaving a word with his assistants, he headed for the sacred pond of the temple. He was apprehensive that Junior would again invite more evil eyes. He washed his face with the cold water of the pond a couple of times. Then he leisurely sat on one of the steps and slipped himself into deep reflections.

 

... Thank God, now Junior has been absolved of all the sins which he had committed in his previous births. Those sins had earned him the curse of his birth as a dog (canine nativity). Some remainder of the sins continued to shadow him and at an opportune moment pounced upon him in the form of puzzling polio. Kurup volunteered upon himself some burdensome loads of Junior’s prenatal sins. By experiencing the tortures associated with the lying-circumambulations, he was washing away the stains of those sins. Through suffering these hardships, Kurup was partaking of the severity of the punishments which gods had reserved for Junior.

 

It was like consuming a bitter medicinal drink. Kurup took it in various dosages for five days. Now Junior himself has taken eleven holy rounds and expiated all his karmic debts. Hence, hereafter, Junior would not suffer. After death, he will not have to see the inscape of any hells ...

 

When his eyes darted across the clear waters of the sacred pond, Kurup saw shawls of fish moving away like dark shadows. A sound beckoned him: the convertible car was kept ready near the pond for him to board.

 

Raaj and Sajeev sat next to the driver. On the left rear seat was Mrs. Kurup with Junior on her laps. When Kurup occupied the right rear seat, Raaj opened the top of the Convertible.

 

Kurup could clearly see the surroundings: the entire population of the holy city had congregated there - to formally bid farewell to Junior!

 

Junior basked in their farewell greetings. Rising and waving his right foreleg he bid them farewell:

 

-         Goodbye, the loved ones of the holy city. May God be with you!

 The atmosphere resounded: Goodbye, Junior dear. Come again. Again and again!

 

 Junior had literally thrilled a whole holy city with his divine moves. Such an extraordinary being was now debarred from accompanying a pilgrim group.

 

Restless, Kurup rolled in his bed...

 

After a while, he rose up from the bed to take a walk on the adjacent terrace. While pacing back and forth, Kurup sensed the  darkness of the night deepening around him. After some time, he felt the cold fingers of October tightening their grip on him. Hence he returned to the coziness of his bed and started reflecting: Good deeds never go waste. Hadn’t Junior’s life demonstrated it?

 

After his legendary circumambulations, Junior had drawn to him huge amounts of money as offerings. A Trust (for the poor) was instituted with that.

 

Subsequently, Junior received another unexpected windfall. The way in which he got it was inscrutable. That is how destiny operates. The strings were pulled very dexterously...mysteriously...

 

Kurup tried to piece together that story in his mind, partly from his own memories and partly from others’ descriptions:

 

It was Soni—Bharat Soni—who built Kurup’s mansion in the city. By training, Soni was an architect. He gained rich and varied experiences in architecture by working on many projects in India and abroad. After substantial stints abroad, he came back to India. And he decided to forsake architecture for his hereditary profession: gold and diamond jewelry.

 

Just before that, he wanted to do just one project (as a swansong!) integrating salient features of both Indian and modern architecture. For this, Soni bought a sizable piece of land at a strategic position in the city (an auspicious piece of land, from the perspective of Vaastu Shastra!). He planned to build two houses there. Each should look like a mirror image of the other! He had even thought about a name for it: The Twin Bungalows.

 

Soni wanted to have a companion who would take one of the twin bungalows. The first name that popped up in his mind was that of Kurup. And Kurup wholeheartedly welcomed that suggestion. Thus, those dream mansions blossomed in the cityscape. And Kurup and Soni became ideal neighbors. Soon, The Twin Bungalows became a landmark of the city.

 

Then, one day, Soni  and family went away on an excursion, organized by the Soni community.

 

 

It happened on that midnight. Kurup felt as if something was crawling on his face. Hence he opened his sleepy eyes. Junior was trying to awaken him by licking up his face. Mrs. Kurup was in place. The silken black body of Junior twinkled in the dim blue light of the bedroom. But there was a stain of fear on his pearly eyes. No, Kurup had never, ever seen him terror-stricken.

 

Bringing his right foreleg against his own lips, Junior transmitted a warning signal to Kurup:

 

“Do not utter a word. Do not move your lips.”

 

He mildly jumped down from the bedding, ensuring not to produce any noise in the process. He, then, rushed towards the telephone. There he was at a complete loss for a moment. Then he regained his composure and dashed to the children’s room. He came back holding one of Sajeev’s caps in his mouth. That sight set in motion complex swings in Kurup’s brain.

 

“Ram Yadav?” Asked Kurup.

 “Yes,” Junior nodded his head in affirmation.

 

Ram Yadav. The Inspector-General of Police. An important link in Kurup’s network of friends. Kurup called him and said:

 

“Ram, you are used to this type of untimely calls. So, on that count, I won’t say sorry.  But I say sorry, because I do not have anything specific to tell you. Only this much has happened here: Our Junior is shivering in fear.”

 

“Oh, my God!” The initial response of Ram Yadav was like a wail. Then he added: “Now be a good boy, Vasu. A very good boy, who would listen to every instruction of his elders.”

 

He continued: “What you should do now is to sleep deeply. Promise me that you would do so.”

 “I promise.”

 

He gulped in some water and returned to his bed. He took a glance at Mrs. Kurup, sleeping on her left side, following the instructions in health magazines. There was the glint of a smile which was about to take shape. She must be dreaming about Raaj and Sajeev smashing musical nights.

 

When he started reclining, Kurup observed that Junior also had found a place on the cot. He was wide awake. There was something inexplicably strange about him, especially in the pattern of his breathing.   What could that be?

 

There was nothing to worry about, unnecessarily; Kurup reassured himself. There were watchmen to protect the Twin Bungalows around the clock.

 

While wandering on such thoughts, Kurup unconsciously slipped into a deep sleep.

 It was the sounds of an explosion that woke him up.

 

The morning had broken. The sun had risen. Outside, there were disorderly crowds trying to break into the Twin Bungalows. The police were trying to drive them away. Eventually, they resorted to the application of tear gas. The sounds of the explosion were as a result of this.

 

Kurup was trying to reach the police force when Junior came running to him. He dropped before him a couple of newspapers which he carried in his mouth. Kurup picked up one. When he spread it out, he could not believe his own eyes: at the front page itself there was a large photograph of the Twin Bungalows under a bold heading:

 

BUSTED: A DREADED BURGLARY GANG

 

There were reports of a marvelous operation conducted jointly by the police and the Crime Branch.

 

For a couple of months, there had been talks about this frightful gang in the air. The gang had a well-defined pattern of operation. They had already struck many targets. There were intelligence reports that they had already sneaked into the city. Hence the police force was alert about this threat and they had made adequate preparations to deal with it, at short notice.

 

The telephone call from Kurup instantly drew Ram Yadav’s attention to this gang—especially the report on Junior’s behavioral changes. Ram Yadav knew Junior pretty closely.

 

Ram Yadav had a gut feeling that Junior must have smelt the notorious burglars in the neighborhood. Right or wrong, he decided to act on the basis of such a lead...

 

Many secret rehearsals had already been done to keep ready the police force for such an eventuality.          Accordingly, one task force was deployed to cordon off the entire city, to prevent the escape of the gang. Another task force dashed out to circle the suburb where the Twin Bungalows situated.

 

One inner squad set out in the disguise of wandering gypsies. A few yards from the Twin Bungalows, they detected a suspicious-looking motor van with a few people inside.

 

This was the vehicle the squad had expected there to be: to transport the burglars who would be emerging from Soni’s Bungalow with the booty. Policemen in gypsy disguise pretended to ignore it and walked past the vehicle. But all of a sudden, they took a swift about-turn and overpowered those who were inside the vehicle. There were six of them. The police bound and muffled them.

 

Behind this inner squad moved the innermost team. They came in a vehicle that moved speedily but stealthily. They were wearing oxygen masks. They found two watchmen to be dead at two different spots. Both of them were shot in their eyes — a pattern followed by the burglary gang.

 

In the faint nightly light, the Twin Bungalows appeared like a giant bird with spread-out wings. The commandoes climbed on to the terrace of Bharat Soni’s bungalow. Carrying chloroform cylinders, they carefully climbed up using the collapsible staircase which they had readily kept with them.

 

Ram Yadav had given them precise details about the structure of the bungalow. An inner quadrangle opening to the sky was the most characteristic feature of the bungalow. Through this vast opening, natural air, as well as light, would drift in.

 

Mrs. Bharat Soni had cultivated a mini garden of jasmine creepers in this quadrangle. Through this growth, green tubes carrying chloroform gas slithered down like vine-snakes and crawled into a couple of openings on the wall. Some other fragrances, too, were mixed with chloroform.

 

When the commandoes released the valve, the gas started sneaking into the atmosphere. At the dead of the night the air got thickened with a fragrance — as if many Night Queen Flowers had bloomed all at once.

 

In a short while,  the fragrance spread over the naked, oily bodies of the burglary experts like a cool, comfortable touch. Not only the burglars, but the entire cosmos seemed to be lulled to sleep by the caressing fragrances.

 

After waiting for a few minutes, the commandoes decided to enter the bungalow.

 

Their presumption, based on their prior investigations, proved to be accurate: Using a master key, the burglars had opened the entrance door, without causing it any damage. They had kept it closed but unlatched. When the commandoes pushed it open, two naked bodies slumped on to the floor. They were the gang-members keeping guard to the four burglars, who were conducting the actual robbery. These two guards were standing, leaning on to the front door. Their rifles had already fallen from their gloved hands and were lying on the floor.

 

The burglary gang was composed of twelve persons:

 

In the van, there were six. Two expert drivers sat on the front seat. Two persons sat at the rear seat, ever ready to accommodate all the booties. Two persons stood out for surveillance. It was this group of six that had got inactivated by the policemen who were in the guise of gypsies.

 

Another six were in the Bungalow. Four of them were the ‘real’ burglars (and two of them stood guard to these four). Seasoned professionals. Wherever they had burgled, they left behind marks of their professionalism. They never broke open any locks or levers. They had, at their disposal, infallible master keys to smoothly open any locking systems. They would not spoil the visual beauty of any safes or shelves by leaving scratching marks on them.

 

By the time the commandoes reached inside the Bungalow, the burglars had stolen from many shelves — without leaving any marks. They had taken out the gold and diamond jewellery from the caskets and replaced the empty caskets in their places. Then they locked the shelves. So, there were no visible marks of any burglary. They were about to conclude their operations when they came under the mesmeric embrace of the chloroform gas.

 

Two gun bearing members stood guard to them.

 

These six persons were stark naked.  Even all the hairs on their bodies had been rooted out. They were anointed with fragrant oil. This made them invincible to be physically caught. They could slip out from any grip.

 

In the ultimate analysis, it was Ram Yadav’s foresight which ensured the success of the police force. It enhanced his already impressive image.

 

The police group which trapped the gang of naked six had, in their possession, exclusively crafted plastic nets. At first, the burglars were netted into these plastic meshes — to make it doubly sure that they wouldn’t be able to skip off human grips taking advantage of their stark naked oily skins.

 

The evening newspapers highlighted this unprecedented nature of capturing culprits. They reported about it in special boxes under an arresting caption: Burglar Mermen in Police Net.

 

The incident created a boom of excitement in the surrounding areas. It took a couple of weeks for the vibes of this excitement to settle down. Ram Yadav waited for such a time-slot before he decided to call on Kurup.

 

After a short period, such a time-slot did emerge. And Ram Yadav readied himself for a personal visit to the Twin Bungalows. He wanted to disguise it as a friendly visit. Hence he ensured to take Mrs Yadav also with him. But, in fact, it was a significant official visit.

 

That gang of burglars was, indeed, the wing of a powerful underworld. Hence many altruistic organizations and people had secretly declared huge rewards of money for those who would give crucial information leading to their arrest.

 

Now one such burglary wing had been trapped solely on the information provided by Kurup. Hence he would receive those huge monetary rewards. Yadav wanted to officially break this glad news to Kurup and his family.

 

Yadav said that he would carefully route these rewards. To ensure that Kurup and his family would not face any problems of personal security, Yadav would make arrangements to get the amounts secretly deposited in their bank accounts.

 

But Kurup resisted: “Ethically, that amount should go to my child, Junior. Would you please explore and find out whether an account could be opened in his name?”

 

Yadav could do that. He deposited a huge amount in the name of Master Junior Kurup — fixed deposit for 6 years. And Kurup would remain the sole operating authority of this account.

 

—In the treasury of Junior, riches were swelling by the second. Such an affluent baby was now being ostracised.

 

Restless, Kurup rolled in his bed...

 

It was only a couple of hours now that Junior had left with Sebastian. Still, Kurup felt an extreme pang of separation. He felt he had been hoodwinked by the statements of a few subordinates:

 

“After all, this parting is for a couple of weeks only. Why should you make a hue and cry out of it?” Proposed one.

 

Another one strongly seconded: “How true! And let Junior gorge on some meat and bones to his heart’s content from that Christian home.”

 

And Kurup took that to be true. How sad!

 

When Junior knew about his impending dispatch to Sebastian’s home, he did not cry or make a scene—unlike Sajeev! When Sebastian reported to take hold of him, he retreated to a corner of the foyer and meekly stood trying to hide his face and  inserting his tail between his rear legs.

 

After taking tea and refreshments with Kurup, Sebastian stood up. Then not to create a tearful scene, Junior started moving, on his own, towards the front door, throwing a sly glance at Kurup. Then he calmly moved forward and jumped to the rear seat of Sebastian’s car. He lay down there as if he had gone asleep. His cream-coloured coat moved up and down.

 

When Kurup recalled that scene, he felt a burning sensation inside his chest. He became cocksure about one thing: that without Junior he wouldn’t be able to conduct the proposed pilgrimage. What of the pilgrimage, he wouldn’t be able to get a wink of sleep.

 

“Oh, the Lord of Guruvayoor...”

 

Kurup stood up from the cot and paced to the bedroom window. The sky seemed pale, before the advent of the day. He looked out. He could hazily see the crossroads. He tried to focus his glance at the road-junction. As he did so, his eyelids started vibrating.

 

The next moment he observed what seemed to be a procession. Moving on and on, the procession reached within his eyeshot. Then he became more curious. It was a pageant of dogs.

 

Walking on their stretched up rear legs, all of them held their front legs up. For a moment Kurup imagined about a succession of penguins.

 

It seemed like a marriage procession.

 

Kurup harkened his ears to see if any orchestral music was there in the background, and intently looked at the procession. Then his heart started beating drums. He couldn’t believe. Who was moving as the center of attraction? Junior! Adorned with many a garland. And at his left was Deanne, wearing the bridal gown. Deanne—the current pet of Major Saxena!

 

Impatient, Kurup cried out: “Come running, Saraswati.”

 

But Mrs. Kurup didn’t wake up. She had been lying on her left side. From that, she came to a supine position.

 

“Saraswati, please hurry up.” Again, Kurup cried out impatiently.

 

By the time she reached, Kurup realized that the street had become desolate.

 

Kurup was at a loss to understand. He wondered: What was it that I beheld? Was it a vision? Or a waking dream? He wondered.

 

Chirpings of birds flowed from the branches of the nearby trees. Kurup came back to the cot and sat tightly on it.

 

“Tell me,” sitting by his side, Mrs. Kurup asked: “Tell me, what has happened?”

 “Now, there is a perfect settlement for everything.”

 “Sorry, I don’t get you. What do you mean by ‘a perfect settlement for everything’?”

 “I’ll tell you. Please listen to me carefully.”

 Kurup strived to uncover the veil of a dream which was about to get actualized:

 

—The departure of the pilgrimage team is slated for day after tomorrow. Within a short while, Sebastian will bring back Junior here. And I will send for Deanne. And in the company of our close-knit friends, we will get Junior formally married to Deanne.

 

—Tell me, dear, why didn’t we think about this prospect, earlier?

 

—Now, day after tomorrow Sebastian, along with the newlyweds, would accompany the pilgrim group in a special car.

 

—It is thought to be very ideal to set out on a pilgrimage immediately after conducting a marriage ceremony.

 

—For the team members, it would be a great leap of merits in a pilgrimage. For the Junior-Deanne couples, it would be a treasured honeymoon trip. There would be no room for the ladies’ wing of the pilgrim group to grind their teeth.

 

Further, Kurup did not want to suffer the loss of a single second. He called up Sebastian and unveiled his plans. Did Sebastian startle?

 

“Should you incur such heavy expenses? Isn’t it unnecessary, Sir?”

 

“Seb, my predecessors and I have hoarded up for the welfare of my children. What is more, nobody knows it though... In riches, my Junior would be even very much above any feudal lords in the world. My Junior   has...”

 

Sebastian cut in without allowing Kurup to complete the sentence:

“But what I really do not understand is why you are showing that much concern for a puppy... Overshooting your affection for Raaj and Sajeev.”

 

“I’ll tell you why.” Kurup became emotional. “Raaj and Sajeev are humans; whereas Junior is just a .... His needs will have to be specially looked after by me ... no, by us...”

 Kurup’s words gave way to a whimpering...

 

For a moment, Mrs. Kurup felt embarrassed. Gradually, she started dissolving herself into the dream of becoming a mother-in-law, all at once, unexpectedly.

 

Then the day broke out on her face...!